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Northern Canada has been gripped by a severe and lengthy Arctic outbreak, with readings persisting from 20 to 40 degrees below zero for an extended duration. On Tuesday, Braeburn in the Yukon recorded -55.7C, marking its chilliest December reading since 1975.

Consecutive Nights in the Deep Minus Forties

In addition, the locales of Mayo and Dawson suffered through sixteen nights in a row colder than minus 40 degrees, with Mayo experiencing a low of -50.4C earlier this week. Whitehorse similarly reported 10 nights when temperatures dropped below -30C.

This Arctic air mass pushed further southward during the holiday season. Christmas night saw Edmonton's temperatures plummet below minus 28C.

The day after Christmas was forecast to deliver readings no higher than -20 Celsius across many regions, including Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa and Quebec.

Likely to Linger Through Early January

The frigid conditions are predicted to linger into the new year. Officials have warned that the Yukon could face electricity outages over the next several days, as the system endures record-high pressure from record-high energy demand.

The prolonged chill has been caused by a stationary polar vortex over Canada for much of December, which funnels frigid northern air southward. The frigid dome is projected to gradually withdraw north slowly, permitting warmer Pacific winds to flow over the US and into parts of southern Canada.

Stark Contrast Compared to Stateside Temperatures

Meanwhile, in a dramatic contrast, areas of the United States saw the hottest December 25th in their history as the mercury climbed roughly 15 to 30 degrees above typical averages. In many areas, conditions felt more typical of April or May than late December.

Several states set Christmas Day temperature records. In Oklahoma, Oklahoma City hit 25C on Tuesday, topping the prior high mark of 22 degrees established over forty years ago. Metropolitan areas such as Austin, Dallas, and Charlotte also logged readings above 25 degrees Celsius.

Atmospheric Ridge Drives the Heat

Unseasonable heat is predicted to persist through Boxing Day and the days ahead, with abnormal warmth projected to move through the American Southeast soon.

The warmth has been fuelled by a strong upper-level ridge reaching from the arid southwest across the continent, creating a heat-dome effect. This setup creates an extensive zone of high atmospheric pressure blanketing a significant part of the landmass, which holds warm air close to the ground. Sinking atmospheric air undergoes compression and additional heating, fostering the buildup of exceptional warmth.